70,000 Words In.

434 words per day. That’s my average since posting about my 60k mark on July 18th. Earlier this week, I reached an important point in Dustland that really hit close to home with me…I was nearing the end of a very long journey.

There was a moment in the story that actually made me pause, since the revelation (as small as it was) caught me off guard when I finally wrote it, and a new-found excitement got me typing again at a rapid pace. The framework for the ending was now in front of me, ready to be completed after residing in my head for so long. The culmination of the entire novel lay at my feet. Of those 10k words, half of them were probably written in the past 6 days, or double my average since July 18th.

Knowing I’ll have another finished book soon is a huge relief. I tell myself, “I’ll have all this free time now!”

Ozzy, after he tried writing a novel.

When in reality, once I finish the first draft of the story, another leg of work is ahead. I have to go over the first draft again, fully, and paint each chapter with a fine brush while smoothing out the wrinkles. Then it goes to the editor and friends for feedback and editing. Once this process is complete, and I’m happy with the story and the editing…well, then I can hit PUBLISH.

Yet, being able to complete that first draft is a major accomplishment, even for established writers. Writing a novel is not glamorous, fun, envious, or mentally healthy for most people. Writing is a constant struggle against logic, really. To exit the madness with something that is coherent and somewhat interesting and possibly profitable? Yea, that feels good! The other parts…not so much.

Next time I post about Dustland, it will be when the first draft is finally completed. The end is Nigh!